Bobbins 'n Threads

Pro-Stitcher!

2011-12-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe I have let it go so long without posting. In my defense, the Studio has been really, really busy these last 2 months and for that I am thankful.

The newest *news* is that I have added a Pro-Stitcher to the studio's Avante! My goal was to get computerized by the end of this year and I made it. :)

The Box :)

All the *stuff* in the box.

New carriage on the frame, replacing the regular Avante carriage.

The computer holder screwed on and the cables and coils organized. Not sure what goes where but everything turns on so I guess all is good. ;)

Ta Da!!! Screen is doing what it is supposed to and the manual is open so now I have to dive in and learn this thing. :)

Baby Nines

2011-10-28T12:04:00.001-06:00

I love this little quilt. Now...I usually don't do multiples of many quilt projects as there are just SO many quilts out there to do and learn from. But I had made one of these for my daughter a few years ago and loved it so much that I made another top. And just finished quilting it. Another UFO bites the dust! :o)

And, as usual, when I custom quilt I quilted it to death...just don't know when to stop. And that is why I usually do pantograph quilting for customers. ;) But with each of my quilts, I try to use a technique that I want to perfect. And with this one I did Terry Twists in the tiny nine patches. And...I used Quilters Dream Orient batting for the first time. I LOVE THIS BATTING!!! It is a combination of silk, bamboo, tencel and cotton and is just plain yummy...quilted and unquilted!

Because I have over quilted the little quilt (sigh), I thought it might not be very cuddly. But once I washed and dried it...oh my...this quilt is soft and cuddly, with beautiful drape, and it shrivelled up just perfectly.

I have contacted the designer of the pattern, Connie Lancaster, and she is willing to wholesale this pattern to me so we will now carry the patterns! The Baby Nines as well as the Whooters quilts that I have hanging on the Studio walls always get lots of attention and at least once a week someone asks me if I carried the patterns. Now I do. :)

Here is an adaptation of the Whooters quilt that I have hanging outside my studio door. I had made the *real* Whooters wallhanging for my grandson's nursery (and also made him a crib quilt from it!) and I am getting the urge to make the true wallhanging, again, for the studio wall. I think I see a hand or machine applique class wanting to happen.... ;)

You can see the wallhanging here:
Quinn's Whooters Quilt Wallhanging

Four Patch Posy with Scalloped Binding

2011-10-05T16:01:00.005-06:00

My first scalloped binding on a quilt. I LOVE scallops but I have to say it was a bit of a *challenge*. But worth it. :) The blocks for this quilt were started maybe 4 or 5 years ago and since I am on a mission to get some UFO's done this year, this one was pulled out one weekend and the top put together. I LOVE the fabric. It reminded me of the fabric used in furniture covers back in the 40's or 50's and I seem to remember covers similar to this fabric in one of my grandmother's living rooms. Anyhow, it *spoke* to me. :) The backing is the same as the border and is really pretty.

I used Darlene Zimmerman's Easy Scallop Tool for the scallops and it made it totally effortless to mark the scallops.

I did not cut out the scallops until I was finished quilting. Then I sewed along the markings (sort of like stay stitching) and trimmed and applied the binding. I used my regular double french fold type but perhaps should have used a single fold. But it sewed on just fine and it turned over very well for the handsewing. I am really pleased with this quilt!

I used Dream Cotton Select batting (love it!), So Fine thread (my favorite #516 Gondola Gold - I use this color so often!) top and bottom and the Rhapsody panto.

And....it's quilted!

2011-09-22T13:06:00.001-06:00

I really love this little quilt. :) I used King Tut Mummy's Dearest thread on the top and pink So Fine in the bobbin and Patricia Ritter's Flowers & Fronds panto.... 80/20 batting...and have bound it with the leftover backing fabric. Sweet and simple.

And done. ;)

Anything Goes!

2011-08-27T14:28:00.012-06:00

I had scraps left over from this quilt:
http://bobbinsnthreads.blogspot.com/2011/06/whats-finished-this-week.html

Now...one of my renters came in with a wonderful strippy, random quilt top and told me how she did it. It was made from 2-1/2 strips from a Jelly Roll and you sew them short end to short end until you have a strip MILES long. Then you take the two ends, right sides together, and sew the long edges together. Then you clip them apart at the end (there is a loop), place the two strips together again (2 sets of 2) and, again, sew the long edges together...cut the loop at the end...etc...

I had to try it. I cut the leftover scraps from my quilt into 2-1/2 strips, varying lengths, using my Accuquilt Go cutter...took very little time! Then I started sewing. And sewing. And sewing...

And *anything went*. I didn't match anything. I didn't care what ended up where. And my quilt top measures 64" x 66"! I will find a nice bright border, or maybe a thin one and then a wider one. Maybe I will applique some flowers and leaves on it (again, cut with my Accuquilt Go!). The sewing took about 3 hours and that was it!

I still haven't pressed it or squared it up but will do so this weekend.
Stay tuned. :)

Okay...it's been awhile.... ;)

2011-08-24T13:27:00.001-06:00

But we have had the most GLORIOUS summer here in Laramie! Last month, we went back home to Canada to visit family and had a lovely visit with The Most Beautiful Child In The World and his mommy and daddy. Then it was back home to the Studio and work, work, work. :) The quilting is coming in regularly and I have been busy smocking and ordering threads, etc. We are carrying the full line of Glide mini cones, now. Glide is a 40wt trilobal polyester that is wonderful for machine embroidery but I also use it for machine quilting! It adds an amazing sheen to the quilting, it is strong and soft and a pleasure to use. I often use the gold colors instead of metallic threads!

And, along with the Glide threads, I stocked up on Superior So Fine and King Tut cones. We carry the first 50 of both the cones and the spools and have about half of the next 50 now too!

And I have been busy smocking! This is the finished Baptismal set that was specially ordered for a darling baby girl. I enjoyed every minute of this project. It is a full length smocked bishop, with a full slip (with lace!) underneath and a sweet little bonnet. I love doing Baptismal outfits. :)

And...The Most Beautiful Child in The World *needed* a Spiderman Quilt....

Quinn is so funny. I called him *sweetheart* and *Quinny* and *honey*, of course. And each time, he informed me that he was *Superman* or *Iron Man* or whatever *man* he was that day, according to the t-shirt he was wearing.

I could eat that kid up! :)

And...a little smocked dress...and some BIG bags...

2011-06-07T12:29:00.001-06:00

Love this little yellow dot bishop. It is a Size 2 with multi colored smocking around the neck and hot pink neck and puffed sleeve bindings. It is made of quilting cotton and just goes to show you that adorable smocking does not have to be fussy or frilly but actually bright and durable!

And...some BIG bags! They have 3-1/2 yards of fabric in them and are perfect for large knitting or quilting projects or to tote around just about anything!

What's Finished This Week!

2011-06-07T12:21:00.001-06:00

Spring/Summer is finally here in Wyoming! Okay, we have 2 days of spring and then we leap into summer but I am NOT complaining. It just means that once the warm, sunny weather comes we scramble to get the garden and yard cleaned up because it is just a matter of time before the weeds take over. :) We are finally getting a pergola built off the back patio door and I am really looking forward to some shade there. The sun gets really wicked in the back yard and the wind always blows away the sun umbrella.

Anyhow! I just finished putting the button decorations on this quilt and it is hung in the studio. It is so bright and pretty and I really liked doing this one, from start to finish. Now...I had promised myself that I would finish a UFO every month this year. This is February's. ;)

Newest Smocking

2011-05-13T11:54:00.001-06:00

This sweet little dress is for a Baptism. It is made of white Imperial Batiste and has angel sleeves trimmed with french heirloom lace, white on white smocking with tiny pink flowers and green leaves. I love making smocked things...especially Christening outfits. :o)

Irena Bluhm's New Book!

2011-05-11T15:56:00.000-06:00

Irena Bluhm's new book is out. This is the one that has my little quilt in it!!!! I had taken her class at MQS last year and she contacted me and asked if she could include my class sample in her new book. So...I finished it and sent her a picture.

I have to say that I am proud as can be. Tickled to bits. Over the moon....you get the picture. ;)

Little Owlies Wallhanging

2011-05-07T10:04:00.001-06:00

This little *owlies* wallhanging is displayed outside the door of my studio, in the foyer of the building. The owls are from the *Whooters* pattern. I had made a wallhanging from the Whooters pattern for my little grandson, Quinn for his bedroom. And I also made him a crib quilt using the same little owlies. This studio wallhanging is my *little bit of Quinn* for the studio. :o)

I love to do faux trapunto (HATE the trimming involved in regular trapunto) which is done by layering two battings...cotton on the bottom and poly puff on the top. I also like to do *ghost* quilting and did leaves and branches in this little quilt.

Lots of swirly stipple in the background.

And a pretty batik for the binding.

This and That...

2011-04-28T15:53:00.000-06:00

I have been busy smocking these past few weeks, in preparation for doing some classes.

Some basic nighties

A little smocked dress

LOVE this sweet little bonnet!

And, of course, a matching dress!

And here is the latest quilting project. I really like doing t-shirt quilts. This one is so soft and cuddly with a Minkee backing

New Handiquilter Promotion!

2011-04-05T10:59:00.006-06:00

I love this promotion...you get a free Longarm Starter Kit with the purchase of an HQ Avante Quilting System:

http://www.handiquilter.com/shop/product/hq18-avante/

Look at all the *toys* that are included!

Seasons of the Moon

2011-03-20T15:27:00.034-06:00

Deb Levy's Seasons of the Moon quilt that I had the honor of seeing at MQS last year.

I have a finished wall quilt hanging in my studio that people love. It is Deb Levy's Harvest Moon and one of her Seasons of the Moon art quilt series. Deb had offered an online class for Harvest Moon at MQResource.

Several people are interested in purchasing the patterns so I have contacted Vicki Welsh and will be ordering some kits in. The kits include the pattern as well as the hand dyed gradient background.

Here are pictures of the four patterns. Every one of them is beautiful and I look forward to adding the other three to my Harvest Moon!

Early Morning

2011-02-11T09:15:00.038-07:00

I really like coming into the studio before the other businesses on the street are open. There is a stillness here and I spend the time doing my emails, cleaning up the threads on the carpet, straightening up this and that and just musing. I had taken some photos of the studio in December and thought I might post some here...and because I have a new camera and need to see if I can download the pictures without losing them. ;)

Here are the Handiquiter machines for the renters and they are also my demos for potential sales. I love Handiquilter quilting systems and I really love dealing with the company. They offer the most amazing customer service!

And this is the hardest-working area of the studio! This is where I quilt for customers on my personal quilting system. This is the back of the studio and the doorway is the teensy bathroom.

Here is the retail area of the studio...lots of threads, books & dvds on machine quilting...packaged battings...I also have rolls of battings under the quilting frames.

This is the middle of the studio.

And...looking towards the front...you can see the Janome machines here...and the fleece. I do a lot of two-sided quilted fleece throws.

And the front of the store. It was a snowy, cold day!

Handiquilter Promo!

2011-02-01T13:37:00.001-07:00

Well, it has been *awhile* since I posted...I really must get better at this. ;)

Anyhow! Handiquilter is doing this amazing promotion...purchase a Handiquilter Sweet Sixteen Sit Down System between February 4/11 and March 7/11 and receive a Go! Baby Fabric Cutter Starter Set!

I love my Go! Cutter! :o)

Oh, and my Sweet Sixteen!

http://www.handiquilter.com/shop/product/hq-sweet-sixteen/

Smocking Class!

2010-11-26T12:13:00.006-07:00

I love making Smocked Christmas Ornaments and customers have been asking for classes. So...I am scheduling some!

There will be 2 classes in each session and the cost is $25.00 plus $15.00 for a kit. Everything will be provided, you just have to bring some small scissors.

The kits will contain the styrofoam ball as well as the pleated white batiste fabric, red and green floss, a needle and a pattern. The first class will consist of practicing some stitches on a pleated muslin piece and the second class will start you on your ornament.

These make wonderful gifts and keepsakes!

I plan on continuing smocking classes as well as starting some bobbinlace classes AND hand applique classes after Christmas. :o)

A Friend Emailed This To Me

2010-11-23T16:10:00.003-07:00

Love it. Happy Thanksgiving to All..it has been a *thankful* year. :o)

And...a Scrappy Shirt Quilt!

2010-10-31T10:11:00.013-06:00

I love quilting *upcycled* things. This quilt top was made entirely out of men's cotton shirts. I layered it with Hobbs Polydown batting and put brown fleece on the back. And I quilted it with an adorable panto called Lounge Lizards and it was perfect for this quilt...very whimsical. I used So Fine coppery colored thread.

Even the binding was pieced out of a striped shirt and the finished quilt is wonderful...very cozy and soft and just waiting to be cuddled up in! :o)

So many old and scrappy quilt tops are just waiting to be given new life. My favorite things to quilt are the unfinished tops that need care and love...they truly turn out beautiful!

Speaking of Halloween Stuff...

2010-10-31T08:23:00.017-06:00

Not only do I machine quilt customer quilts, I also quilt fabric for home dec and for clothing. This week I took 2 yards of cream Kona cotton (1 yard for the top and 1 yard for the backing) and layered it with Quilter's Dream Blend batting and chose the *Spooks* pantograph. I used a variegated polyester embroidery thread in halloween colors and quilted up the fabric. Then I cut out a very simple vest and sewed up the shoulder seams and side seams, using the usual 5/8" seams.

Since I didn't have a lot of halloween fabric left over from doing a quilted table topper, I strip pieced what I had with some black cotton and cut it on the bias to make the binding and applied it. The whole thing took one day and it turned out so cute!

Give it a try! :o)

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T07:45:00.029-06:00

Downtown Laramie businesses did Trick or Treat-ing for 2 hours yesterday. Now...I had been told that there would be a lot..upwards of 700 or so..but didn't believe there would be that many. After all, there are all kinds of Halloween activities for kids here, which I think is awesome. I would rather children do a daytime Halloween thing than go out at night. I was AMAZED at how many kids swooped in!

Anyhow, the Professor is German and when he was growing up Trick or Treat-ing was not a *thing* and since we have been in the States he has not really *experienced* tons of kids coming to the house for Halloween. Well.....I made him stand outside with the bag of candy and *experience* it. ;)

Honestly, I was amazed at how many kids came! Okay, it probably helped that my studio is next door to the Chocolate Cellar and everyone would know that they would get good candy there...after all, they are a CANDY SHOP! LOL! And even though I purchased a LOT of candy, we were empty after 3/4 hour. I swear there must have been more than 700 kids that trooped down the streets within those 2 hours. And the costumes were so cute... :o)

And the children were so polite. Loved it. All these little voices chiming, "Trick or Treeeeat" and then the "Thank you!"...well...it was just a lovely experience. :o)

Sweet Pickles, next door...a children's shop.

The Chocolate Cellar..on the other side of our Studio.

What Are Nanas For???

2010-10-25T14:39:00.008-06:00

The-Most-Beautiful-Child-In-The-World *needed* a super hero cape. It is Quinn's birthday next week and I already sent him his present but he is so very into super hero's, lately, and his mom is tired of having to re-hang the living rooms curtains (he uses them as his "cape"...you get the picture....) :o)

So...NANA TO THE RESCUE!!!

And...any excuse to show you a picture of him...look at this angel... :o)

Lost in Austen

2010-10-18T09:00:00.005-06:00

I am a Pride & Prejudice fan and this weekend the Professor brought home the Lost in Austen dvd. I LOVED it! It is such a clever and entertaining twist on P & P and since the Keira Knightley/Matthew MacFadyen version is my all-time favorite, I was really not prepared to like Lost in Austen very much. But I did.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3094938393/

Check out the trailer!

If I Can Do It...

2010-10-17T11:59:00.011-06:00

Okay...so it was *colonoscopy* time. I have a family history that warrants screening as well as my own *challenges* and the 5 years were up. And since I have been having a fair bit of pain as well as fatigue for the past 6 weeks or so, the doctor insisted that *now is the time*.

Colonoscopies are not my favorite thing to go through. Especially since I tend to wake up in the middle of them with searing pain. This one was scheduled at the hospital here in Laramie and I was very vocal (translation...*panicky*...) about my waking-up-problem and was assured that they would take especial care. And they did. I have to say that this procedure, done here in Laramie, was actually a good experience...if a colonoscopy could be considered in any way, shape or form a good experience...

But, truly, the nurses were incredibly caring and friendly, the doctor was wonderful and the nurse who *put me out* actually stroked my hair and talked to me as I went to sleep. I did not have one moment of discomfort nor did I feel my dignity was compromised. At all. And...I didn't wake up in the middle of it. :o)

Anyhow...the purpose of this blog is to address the very worse part of the whole thing. The prep. This is the first time I had to take so much *stuff*. I had to take 2 Dulcolax and then a Reglan and 1-1/2 bottles of Magnesium Citrate...starting at 4pm. Unfortunately we had a power outage after I took the Dulcolax and Reglan and I had to scramble to find candles for the bathroom because we all know that there would be many hours of *bathroom* time coming and I had a really good book...

The Magnesium Citrate was a bear to get down. I mixed it with Sprite and made it nice and cold, as I was advised. But there was so much of it! And I kept throwing up foam. It truly was torture for me. Since I had to drink the other 1-1/2 bottles the next morning, 4 hours before the procedure, you can imagine how I was dreading this. And since I had a whole night to *ponder* this dilemma, I came to the conclusion that it was the thick, overwhelming sickly sweet/citrus taste that was making me ill...even diluted.

So, the next morning I divided the vile stuff into 3 large glasses. Then I added a good glug of Gatorade. Incidentally, I cannot stomach Gatorade either but the advantage to it was how it seemed to *cut* the citrus in the magnesium citrate. I took a deep breath and downed the stuff in 7 gulps and BEFORE BREATHING, I filled my mouth with hot, black tea. And that was the trick! The tea seemed to cut the citrus enough so that when I finally did breath I didn't have that vile taste in my mouth and I didn't gag!!!

I waited 10 minutes then did the same thing with the 2nd glass. Then the 3rd. Okay, to be honest, I couldn't get the last bit of the 3rd glass down and knew I was in trouble because my throat was starting to close in rebellion but I got enough of it down and called it good.

:o)

I hope this will help some of you who are dreading the whole procedure because of the nasty prep. Okay, it isn't the most wonderful thing to go through but it IS a necessity for those of us with issues and family histories.

And I encourage you to get it done.

On a personal note, they did get the end of my colon this time (which they hadn't been able to do before..not sure why...didn't ask...) and the good news is that there are no polyps this time! YAY! But they did find a small *swelling* and it was taken out and has been sent to the lab. We will know by mid week, I expect, if all is well.

I am optimistic. But have to admit that I am making deals with God. ;)

And thanks to all the friends and colleagues who have been so supportive and helpful the past few weeks. You rock. :o)

And to my hubby who assures me that, even though I was wheeled back to my room with a very goofy smile on my face, I absolutely did NOT say or do anything *stupid* when the doctor came in afterwards to give his report. Not that I remember anything, mind you...

Honey, you ARE my rock. :o)

UPDATE, Tuesday the 19th: Doctor just called....biopsy was clear, no malignancy and no pre-cancerous cells. Whew! Very relieved. :o)

GET YOUR COLONOSCOPIES! (Sherry, you know I am talking to you....) ;)

Irena Bluhm Project

2010-09-17T11:03:00.010-06:00

I took Irena's class in Kansas last May and had a great time. She provided a pre-quilted sample that we colored on with colored pencils. Since then I have done nothing with my little sample project but this week I decided to get it on the longarm and use some threads to spice it up.

It was also an opportunity to use threads I have not used before...like Superior Thread's Highlights and Glitter. And with no problem! I just loosened the tension and the stitching went beautifully. I also used my usual Invisafil in the green bits....love Invisafil for fillers.

Where Did Summer Go???

2010-09-05T07:49:00.046-06:00

Okay, I have been *busy* but holy smokes! I hurried up and took some pictures of the garden before the snow flies. When we moved here the garden was very sparse and pretty much non existent, come to think of it. The one corner had some stuff in it but we have worked at it every year since. This year, we have noticed that it is almost getting overgrown! LOL! Probably because of neglect. ;)

Our goal is to eventually get rid of all the grass as it burns and dries out in the strong sunshine anyway.

This is the little cherry tree that we have been babying..the top died after the first year but I leave it there because the hummingbirds like to sit on the dead branch. We put a feeder there in June and July but had very little hummingbird activity this year, though.

This is by our bedroom window. There is a honeysuckle and a lilac bush there that both grew very much this year. And we finally got some hollyhocks to grow past one year. Okay, two out of four that were planted is pretty good for us. The plant pot full of flowers was a surprise...we winter the pots in the garage and this spring found all this stuff growing back. Petunias! That are supposed to be annuals... ;) I didn't have to buy any plants for the pots this year. LOL!

This spring, before I even thought of opening a store, I finally got my little raised garden at the end of the patio. Our yard is very long and narrow and at the end of the patio was two feet of *nothing* and I got sick of staring at the fence. Not that I can see much of it, now, as the birds *contribute* every year to the flowers by dropping sunflower seeds. They are GORGEOUS this year! The picture does not do the sunflowers justice...they truly shine in the sunlight. :o)

And then there is the *mystery* plant....growing in the middle of some weeds by the trap door leading to the crawl space. All of a sudden it was just THERE! I will have to get a picture of the blossom when it is open. You know...it sort of looks like a morninglory on steroids....

It is HUGE! Anyone know what it is???

Oh, and to clarify (in case anyone thinks I don't have *time* to weed...) ;) .... I let weeds grow until I see what type of flower they produce. Some of the weeds here in Wyoming are GORGEOUS! :o)

Back From Handiquilter Training!

2010-08-24T06:55:00.030-06:00

And we had a great time...learned a lot and met some wonderful people. When I decided to become a Handiquilter representative it was not only because the product was good but because the customer service was amazing. For the past few months they have been consistently wonderful and meeting them all in person was fun! And they are still consistently wonderful...friendly...helpful...encouraging...and very patient! LOL!

This has NOT been my experience with companies in the past and I have been sensitive to any changes in the customer service after purchasing and working with HQ for a few months. I am delighted to report that I have not been disappointed with their customer service and I am so glad I agreed to work with them. :o) It makes my job so much easier as I strive to provide my own customers with quality customer care and encouragement.

The HQ building is quite amazing..filled with quilts and machines! We toured the factory part and we were able to see the degree of quality control that is given to each machine before it goes out the door. Yes, EVERY machine is tested. For hours.

The Professor took the technical training so we are all set to provide our customers with cleaning and maintenance services as well as setting up the systems. I got to play on the machines. ;)

And I do have to say that I am champing at the bit to get in a Fusion and a Pro Stitcher! We spent one whole day on the setting up of the Pro Stitcher computer and worked with it for hours. What fun! I can see that adding a computer to my Avante would sure save me time on all the panto quilting I do, right from the get go! Soon.... ;)

So! That was our week. Utah is beautiful and I am so glad we got to visit yet another wonderful State. It is back to the shop this week and the Prof started the new semester yesterday so I guess that autumn is on the horizon.

Where did the summer go???

This is a picture of the classroom. We spent all 3 days in there...from 8am until 5 pm. They kept our energy up with lots of snacks. ;)

And they provided an amazing lunch every day! I am happy to report I only gained 2 pounds that week. Luckily.

Back to Curves this week....

I was very good and only purchased one thing at a wonderful quilt shop there, Quilters Haven. I saw the quilt hanging in the shop and *had* to have the kit. And didn't know it had been featured, along with the shop, in the Quilt Sampler magazine! The fabrics are washed and all ready to me to cut. In my spare time. ;) (you don't want to know how many kits are stacked and waiting for me to work on *in my spare time*) ;)

And more pics....

2010-08-13T07:53:00.009-06:00

We love our sign. Miss Etta's is downstairs.

We had customers helping customers!

The little shop was so packed sometimes that everyone had to pitch in. :o)

Grand Opening Pics

2010-08-13T07:36:00.007-06:00

We had an AWESOME Grand Opening on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Handiquilter truck parked in front of the shop and Dee and Greg did an amazing job talking to people and it was wonderful to get to know them. We look forward to going to Utah next week for our training and meeting more HQ people. :o)

Rudi took videos and here are a few stills from them...more to follow...

And...btw....The Most Beautiful Child In The World...

2010-08-08T12:22:00.001-06:00

Is STILL the Most Beautiful Child in the World ;)

(and always will be to his proud Nana)

Kisses, Quinn!

The Shop is Finally Open....okay, it has been open for weeks now...

2010-08-08T10:43:00.004-06:00

...but I am finally on the computer to update my blog! Things have been very, very busy and the shop has been very well received and I am *planting seeds* right, left and center. With the tourist season gearing down now, I thought I would have a breather but my Grand Opening starts this week and Handiquilter is sending their truck and doing a Truckload Sale for me!

Beccie is finishing the sign on the door :o)

The front of the shop with the wonderful stained glass windows..retail threads and battings on the left and the cutting table and quilting threads on the right. The front of the shop has finished goods for sale as well as some antiques and such from Miss Etta's downstairs. It is a small shop but really lovely.

A closer look at the antique quilts, baby quilts and smocking.

Closer look at some of the threads, books & dvds...all specializing in machine quilting.

The back of the shop...a hard working area! Note the lovely stained glass window that Peggy from Miss Etta's placed at the back window. It adds such a pretty touch. :o)

...the office area to the right of the back...where I can webcam with my Daughter and The Most Beautiful Child In The World. And do paperwork, of course. ;)

My hard working Prodigy :o)

The HQ Sixteen Sit Down System...and my first sale! :o) Note the adjoining door that leads to the Chocolate shop next door. ;)

The Avante!

A very tired but very excited new shop owner. :o)

And....ourselves. :o) Rudi has his own chair.

These pictures were taken when the shop first opened at the end of June (has it been that long already???!!!) and it is still a work in progress but coming along. We have added a few more things and prettied up the thread and batting display area with a flowered valance and put several antique sewing machine heads on top. I would take some pictures but cannot find the camera.... ;)

Well...Things Must Happen For a Reason...

2010-06-10T13:52:00.003-06:00

This week's meltdown was because of the delay in getting into the shop. We were supposed to move in tomorrow. Now we move in next week. And I am STILL trying to reschedule things.

I just got notification that they are tearing up our street tomorrow in order to lay down new waterlines and we would not have been able to get a truck in nor could we move things out! (no water service the whole day...and possibly the whole evening)

Now...this whole store thing has been an interesting experience in that it is like it is pre-destined. There have been co-incidences and things falling into place and opportunities handed to me that just have me scratching my head.

It will be interesting to see how this shop develops and I am now really excited to see what happens! LOL!

Okay...as long as they don't tear up the street that the shop is on... ;)

Haven't Posted in Waaaaayyyyyy Too Long!

2010-06-09T13:09:00.005-06:00

It has been a very busy (and stressful) month with trying to get the store up and running...still not in there due to renovation issues with the shop the current renter is moving to so things have been delayed for yet another week. My dining room is a mess of boxes and threads and battings and books and I don't look forward to another week of living with it but such is the challenge of moving a studio. :o)

Thanks to a very supportive husband and incredible friends I am actually going through with this and will get moved in there and hope to be an asset to the quilting world in this area. And then there are days when I wonder why I am putting myself through this again. ;)

But I want to be up to the challenge and to come full circle in my life, yet again. Here is the shop as it looks, currently. It is a knitting shop and she will be moving two doors down. Miss Etta's is the artisan's co-op that I belong to so it will be lovely to be in the same building. :o)

Memory Quilt is Finished...except for the label...

2010-04-24T12:21:00.004-06:00

I REALLY need some sort of display rack in order to take picture of the quilts. But for now, this has to do. :o)

The quilt measures approx. 72" x 74" and is very girly! :o)

Sherry, thank you for the honor of creating it and for trusting me with little Mary's dresses. Hugs!

Memory Quilt - Day One Quilting

2010-04-20T17:58:00.003-06:00

This has really been a fun quilt to do and I am enjoying the quilting immensely! I am using pale pink Superior So Fine thread, top and bobbin, and Hobbs Polydown batting as I wanted to keep the little dresses puffy. Also, the top is very heavy and I figured the polydown would not add much weight. So far...so good...

So Behind in the Wholecloth Class

2010-04-14T15:39:00.002-06:00

But I am almost to the point of fine tuning my design. Nothing was coming easy but I finally decided to just settle on something and fix it up a bit more before I go to Staples with the 1/4 design and have them blow it up.

This is the first draft of the final design. I need to beef up my feathers and the flowers and decide on something for the center but at least I can see where I am going. :o)

And...as I took the pictures off my camera I saw this one...

2010-04-02T14:38:00.000-06:00

This is a donation quilt for a local Avon Walk for Breast Cancer raffle. I did the Angel Wings pattern on it, white fabric with deep pink thread and a tiny flange of pink. This was my first time using Polydown batting and it went very well. I hope it brings in lots of money! :o)

Sock Monkeys...yes...more Sock Monkeys...

2010-04-02T14:31:00.003-06:00

I really don't like making stuffed animals. But people really like Sock Monkeys around here! And I have been putting off doing some more. So...yesterday we had a power outage for 6 hours. And it was freezing cold and blizzardy and I am not one to sit and do nothing and since there was no power....

I opened up the blinds and got as much light into my sewing room as I could and bit the bullet and cut out some of the little critters. No...I haven't started sewing them yet.... ;)

And...I also went through all the machine quilting magazines that have been sitting piled up on the dining room table waiting for me to go through and organize quilting ideas in my binders. They have been there for over a month...

But I did it. Sitting with a quilt wrapped around my legs and a sweatshirt as well as my dh's heaviest sweater on and a winter hat. He came by at one point with a LARGE Starbucks as I was dying for a hot drink. But didn't stick around as he was giving exams. There was power at the university! The man is no fool. ;)

And more sock monkey fabric came in the post so I will busy making some little *loveys*. I don't mind doing THEM! LOL!

Guess This Means I am REAL?!!

2010-04-02T14:23:00.001-06:00

I now have a cap with my business name on it. :o)

Smocked Bunting and Bonnet

2010-03-31T16:04:00.002-06:00

I have been making these for over 20 years now. Scary. ;) This one is made of Imperial Broadcloth. Sometimes I make them out of good quality flannel and cotton.

And I found it while I was cleaning up my sewing room. It just needed ribbons! LOL! Things do tend to get buried in there. ;)

Memory Quilt Progress

2010-03-26T14:18:00.001-06:00

I have to say that I am having a blast doing this quilt! I have 8 blocks to applique and 4 are finished, so far. I cut off the backs of every little outfit, then carefully pinned the fronts in place, turning under a seam allowance, and hand appliqueing them down. It takes a lot of fussing with the frills and such and the little bloomers in some of the sets were a bit finicky to place nicely but I am getting there. I trimmed away all the extra bulk of elastics waists and such and have topstitched the yokes and around the necks under the collars so that they don't balloon out. I will have to do some *creative* quilting when I get to that point but for now I am pleased with the progress. :o)

And this one is all pinned and ready to applique.

Memory Quilt

2010-03-24T11:05:00.001-06:00

Okay...I have mulled it around and am finally coming to some sort of decision on how to lay out the little outfits. That took all morning. ;)

Next, I will decide on the size of the background fabrics. They will have to be different fabrics and colors, I think, as some outfits are white and some are blue and some are white and pink.

Stay tuned! :o)

Wholecloth Design Class

2010-03-22T08:03:00.002-06:00

I love wholecloths. And I am taking an online class at MQResource on designing them. Not sure how I will do as I really hate drawing but this is my first practice sheet. They actually look like feathers! LOL! I am encouraged. :o)

Yo Gabba Gabba!

2010-03-16T15:38:00.010-06:00

Quinn likes Yo Gabba Gabba! So...Nana has to make him a Yo Gabba Gabba quilt, of course! :o)

Memory Quilts

2010-03-16T14:57:00.010-06:00

A dear soul gave me 3 bags full of her daughter's baby clothing and here are the little dresses all laid out. I am to make a memory quilt out of them and I am so touched that she asked me to do so. They will not be cut up...they are too special to her...but I will cut the backs off and applique the fronts to fabric and sash the blocks with the remaining clothing. Not sure how I will quilt everything down but it will come to me.

I also have a bag full of pj's and tiny little undershirts and will make a second quilt out of them.

Doing things like this make me feel good. And makes me feel like what I do makes a difference sometimes. :o)

Finally Done Done!

2010-03-10T11:36:00.009-07:00

The bindings and hanging sleeves are on and they are both hung up in my quilting room...the walls of which are yellow and not pink. Guess that is what happens when you turn the camera flash off. :o)

Look at This Face!

2010-03-05T10:43:00.004-07:00

Quinny got a haircut. :o)

Got Scraps? Make Totes! :o)

2010-03-02T17:12:00.004-07:00

I had a bunch of Sock Monkey fabric scraps left over from the little quilts so, while listening to a Diana Gabaldon book on CD, I sewed a bunch of scraps together, whacked off a rectangle, layered them with some cotton batting and muslin and did a quick swirl quilting design. Then made them into totes. :o)

I don't waste anything. ;)

Wholecloth is almost ready for binding! :o)

2010-02-28T09:19:00.004-07:00

I would say I had about 13 hours of quilting in this project..it will be about 36" square, depending on how much I chop off. And i am thinking that I will put a contrasting flange before the binding and I think I have enough of the gradient fabric to fashion a binding that will mimic the gradients. We shall see. Right now it is blocked and drying and all the markings did come out. Thank goodness!

2010-02-26T10:37:00.006-07:00

One of my personal quilting goals is to do wholecloth quilts. I am so drawn to them. Yesterday I put a preprinted Sew Batik Gradient design of Sue Schmieden of The Quilting Connection on the frame. There are 2 layers of batting..the bottom is Quilters Dream Blend, then a layer of Quilters Dream Poly Puff. I am using So Fine thread on top and Wonderfil in the bobbin. Following the lines is fun and I have about half of the top quilted...although there will be a lot of background fill to do so that I get the faux trapunto look. I will do this one very simply as I am testing out the batting choices, as well as the threads. So far, my machine is doing just fine with the puffy batting layers as well as batik fabric on top and back!

In March I am taking an online wholecloth designing class at MQResource and am looking forward to it, very much. :o)

Big Snugs

2010-02-25T12:33:00.012-07:00

Just finished my felted boots, *Big Snugs* pattern. They were HUGE! This is the picture of them before felting in the washer.

And...after. :o)

Another Sock Monkey Quilt - using Legacy batting

2010-02-25T12:06:00.021-07:00

I used Legacy 80/20 batting w/o scrim for this one and I liked it very much. After binding, I washed and dried the little quilt and it came out soft and cuddly and *quilty* looking. Actually, when I look at the two littlw Sock Monkey quilts that I have finished this week, I don't see much difference between the all cotton batting and the 80 cotton/ 20 polyester batting that I used. They both are very cuddly and soft and of similar drape.

Baby Pirate Quilt

2010-02-12T10:22:00.003-07:00

I got the bright idea to load this little panel on my frame and to see how well my machine (and me) managed by doing a totally free motion quilt. Now...there are tons of lines and little details in the panel, as you can see, and I didn't use rulers or guides of any kind.

Oh, and I used the little open toed applique foot..perfect for the job. And..because it cannot be used with rulers, I wasn't tempted to use a guide. It was just me and my machine.

And it took a long time! But I finished it yesterday and did the binding last night, washed and dried it and it is adorable. :o)

So Fine threads (various colors) and pre-washed Warm and Natural batting.

And LOTS of quilting! LOL!

My Loot

2010-02-09T11:02:00.004-07:00

We went to Denver on Saturday and attended the Rocky Mountain Sew Expo. There was a fair bit of quilting stuff there...just enough to keep me happy. :o) And I was pretty good...only spent a *bit* on some Legacy 80/20 batting and some of Sue Schmieden's preprinted wholecloths and patterns.

It was good to get out of town for a day and we treated ourselves to a good dinner in Fort Collins with enough leftovers for Super Bowl Sunday! :o)

Wow...Two Posts in One Week! ;)

2010-02-04T10:26:00.012-07:00

Well, it has been a busy few weeks and I thought I would post some photos of my work. This gorgeous batik log cabin was a joy to quilt. The customer (hi, Laurie!) did an amazing job of piecing. She is a beginner quilter and the top was perfectly pressed and square. I quilted it with the Maple Dance panto and Signature Mother Goose thread. I cannot wait to see it with the binding on. :o)

The Sock Monkey quilt was a special order and here it is all washed and dried and *quilty*. Very snuggly and adorable. :o) So Fine thread and the first time I used Tracey Browning's CC Tri-arc Rulers.

And here is the finished Spring Fling fleece quilt! Nice and bright and cozy. :o)

Is it Spring Yet???

2010-02-03T17:10:00.009-07:00

I am so sick of winter! So...decided to do a *springlike* fleece quilt. This is the Spring Fling panto from Pa tricia Ritter and it was fun to do. And really perked me up. :o)

Invisafil Thread is Here!

2010-01-20T08:40:00.013-07:00

I love this thread from Wonderfil. It is a 2 ply 100wt soft polyester that has a matte finish. It is WONDERFUL for machine quilting as it is so fine, but strong, and it sinks into the fabric creating lovely texture. And it is a great alternative to clear monofilament thread! I also use it in my bobbin and it runs for *forever*...okay, not forever but longer than regular thread as it is so fine. I can also see it being used in heirloom sewing, blind hemming, couching...

...and for heirloom quilting. Since I am planning to get more and more into wholecloth quilting this is what I will use. The fineness of the thread is perfect for all the tight fills. And yes, I have all the colors in stock! :o)

It's Coming Along...slowly...slowly...

2010-01-12T15:21:00.008-07:00

...but surely! I have the quilting finished on the top bit of the Harvest Moon. And I only ripped out twice! LOL!

Cannot believe I have not posted in so long....

2010-01-04T11:31:00.012-07:00

Happy New Year! :o)

Now that the busy Christmas season is behind me I have decided to take the next 2 weeks and work on some of my own things and to challenge myself. First of all, I am working on my art quilt, "Harvest Moon" from Deb Levy's online class at MQResource. The applique is finished and it is loaded on my quilting frame and I have done the metallic thread work, so far. The batik leaves will be applied on top of the leaf *shadows* when all the quilting is finished. Next quilting will be a lot of *fills* in the rays...haven't decided what to put where, yet. I need to draw it out, first. And since I hate prep work I have been putting it off...because...for good luck I started a NEW quilt on New Year's Day. Like I needed a reason.... ;)

Harvest Moon Wallhanging on the frame.

This is the new quilt I have started, Sunshine Pineapple, and it has been so much fun to work on! It is so cold and snowy here that working with these colorful batiks has been a real treat!

Busy Days

2009-11-16T15:55:00.002-07:00

Here is a picture of the fleece quilt I am currently quilting. It is one layer of winter white fleece and a 2nd layer of dark brown fleece. The panto is Kicking Up A Storm by Deb Geissler and is pretty labor intensive...but worth it.

The Most-Beautiful-Child-In-The-World's Birthday Present

2009-10-23T12:02:00.010-06:00

Yes, Quinn is going to be one in a few weeks. So, I made him a Sock Monkey and a Sock Monkey quilt and knitted him his own sock monkey-type socks. The box arrived in Canada yesterday and my daughter said that *Quinn* NEEDED to open up his birthday presents IMMEDIATELY. Something tells me that Jacy is the one who *needed* to open up Quinn's birthday present... ;)

I wonder if she also peeked at Christmas presents when she was little? Hmmmm?

Bookworms

2009-10-18T11:22:00.008-06:00

I have been busy this weekend making some bobbin lace bookmarks. These are fun to do and rather addictive!

Here are some "Bookworms" and a "Snake" and they are made with sz. 8 perle cotton.

This "Daisy" bookmark is made with fine sewing thread.

First T-Shirt Quilt :o)

2009-10-16T11:35:00.013-06:00

This is my first t-shirt quilt. I rounded up some Wyoming university t-shirts from the local charity shop since I didn't have any....

And I rough-cut them and backed them with light fusible interfacing. The most time consuming part was cutting them into consistent sizes as every shirt is different. If I continue to do these I will need some sort of templates for centering and cutting.

I knew that I wanted to back it in fleece (as I had some) and didn't want to invest in fabric for my first try and then had the bright idea to also sash and border it in fleece. I don't think I will do that again as it is stretchy, but that was not the problem. The problem was in the quilting. The seams were too thick and since I was using a panto I had to really keep an eye on the fleece shifting to one side. Cotton fabric would be more stable, I believe. Will let you know with the next one! LOL!

I didn't use batting as the fleece was heavy enough. The finished quilt washed and dried beautifully and is extremely cuddly and warm. These are lots of work but what a great way to preserve memories!

I used monofilament thread on top, So Fine in the bobbin and Lisa Calle's Hypnotic panto. It is perfect for t-shirt quilts.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Quilt

2009-09-24T08:48:00.017-06:00

You know, I never did post this quilt that I made for The-Most-Beautiful-Baby-In-The World..probably because it was a surprise and probably because I then *forgot*. :o)

This was fun...I used Minky dots for the back and it is soft and cuddly. I did different types of quilting in it but LOVED the little caterpillar panto pattern in the border.

1st Project!

2009-09-23T09:38:00.020-06:00

Oh my, this was fun! The Prodigy is a DREAM to work on and it was worth the wait. I put it through its paces with this little quilt...different threads, polyester batting, different techniques...ruler work, swirls, meandering, stitch in the ditch...and it was all smooth and stress-free. It took 3 times as long as it should have because I am so rusty but I am thrilled with how the system handled everything.

Newest Yarns

2009-09-07T15:29:00.007-06:00

Still waiting for frame parts for my Prodigy and since I cannot quilt, I have been spinning. This is the latest and the yummy alpaca fiber is from Maple in Michigan.

This is a 2ply and 2 colors...a gorgeous chocolate brown and a lovely natural alpaca. Actually, both fibers are natural alpaca, meaning they are not dyed.

And this is her wonderful Swirl (natural and light brown), spun with a bit of black and the bottom is the natural charcoal..it is really an amazing color.

And all of them spin up beautifully!

It's Here!

2009-08-26T09:31:00.006-06:00

My Prodigy quilting system, Sharon Schamber model, is finally here! The hydraulic legs were not with included but will get here eventually. The frame is short without them but I think I can sit down to quilt. It was easy to put together and the quality is supurb. Cannot WAIT to give her a go! :o)

Still Waiting for my Quilting Machine...but in the meantime...

2009-08-19T09:28:00.005-06:00

......I have been spinning and knitting. This is the fiber that my daughter dyed up and I brought home with me from Canada. The turquoise is a superwash merino/nylon mix and it spun up beautifully...very soft and cozy.

The yellow is a cashmere/merino blend and I plied it with cream crochet cotton and it is also very, very soft.

I knitted up the turquoise into a Sweet Georgia

hat and a skinny scarf and it knitted up quickly and beautifully. Actually, this is the first time I have knitted something with my handspun and I am now addicted. Okay, I was addicted to spinning the stuff but now I am addicted to knitting with the stuff! LOL!

My Grandfather's Christening Gown

2009-08-05T12:45:00.004-06:00

Here are some pictures of this beautiful gown. I hope to recreate it one day. It is dated from the late 1890's and is in perfect shape. The gown is machine sewn with perfect, straight, tiny stitches and everything is cotton, the fabric and the laces. It is a lovely thing.

Vacation Over With....

2009-08-01T19:19:00.007-06:00

And I am really tired. We got home last night and as I was drawing a hot bath I discovered that it was not so hot. The water heater was broken. So, we called a plumber first thing this morning and he came to fix it and will send a bill...sigh...

But it was all worth it as I got to kiss and cuddle with the most adorable baby in the world.

And my daughter and I did some spinning...in the wind! You'd think we were in Wyoming, for goodness sakes.

We went to Niagara Falls as the Professor has never seen it and he was duly impressed. Have to find the pictures in this mess. I am unpacked, yes, but just so far as to have made piles everywhere. No energy to get organized.

We stopped by Shipshewana this trip and I indulged in a bit of fiber therapy. ;)

My quilting system is *supposed* to come this week. Yay.

I have been waiting 4 months for it and I SO look forward to setting it up and quilting again.

And finally...

2009-07-15T13:33:00.003-06:00

Have to show the latest picture of the most beautiful baby in the world....

And I will be holding him soon! Poor child will be smothered with kisses. ;)

And more....

2009-07-15T13:15:00.004-06:00

This is called *Copperwood* and it is a merino that came from WC Mercantile. I got a migraine when I spun this as there were a lot of dry fibers flying off as I drafted it. I thought for sure that the finished yarn would be a bit rough but it turned out SO soft! It is really lovely!

I also had a problem when I was spinning some alpaca so I seem to be sensitive to flying fibers. I have since found out that I can spray leave-in hair conditioner directly on the fibers before I draft them and that will help *tame* them. I hope it works as I am NOT going to stop spinning them and don't want to be limited in my choices!

More Handspun

2009-07-15T12:51:00.007-06:00

I LOVE Greenwood Fiberworks fibers..they are beautifully prepared and the colors are rich and vibrant and they are so easy to spin. I look forward to spinning up the rest of my stash of Greenwoods' and then ordering more!

This is the Mountain Air colorway (merino) before spinning, and as a *single*. I did ply it but forgot to take a picture of it!

But it turned out so vibrant and cheerful and is getting a lot of attention at the knitting shop! I spun up 2oz and have another 2 oz to spin and then I am going to knit that up in either a hat or a skinny scarf to show off the pretty colors.

Spinning Results

2009-07-08T10:11:00.041-06:00

I am obsessed...yes, obsessed. If I don't spin every evening, I feel like the day is not complete. It is just very satisfying to take some nice, soft fiber and spin it...to see the colors blend in a way that is often surprising to me and then to ply it (my favorite part!) and wash it and see everything *bloom*. So far, my yarns have turned out soft. They are not perfect but someone reminded me yesterday that homespun yarns are not supposed to be perfect! That is the attraction of them...the little bumps and thick and thin spots...the softer bits and the *homey* look of them. That's good, because my yarns are definitely not perfect! I want to spin interesting yarns and every endeavour is a journey. :o)

Here is my first *good* yarn. "Pastelle" from Mainewoods Yarns. It is definitely "thick and thin" and it turned out very pretty..soft and wooly. It is merino top. I love merino. :o)

This is the finished "Lobstah" from Mainwoods and my first thinner spinning. I got quite a bit from a 4oz roving!

This is the roving from Knit It Up (I love her fibers!) called "Crush" and it is a merino/bamboo mix. I loved spinning this as it is not as *wooly* and it has a lovely sheen to it. And it was such a surprise to me to see the colors blending as I spun it. The finished product is very, very pretty and I would love to get more of it. And I look forward to doing more with bamboo fibers.

And this is my first *sparkly* yarn...from CorgiHillFarms. It was a sample from the Phatfiber box for June. This was FUN to spin! It is a single right now and I am looking for the perfect fiber and color to ply it with.

I have other yarns drying and another one that I just plied and will post about them when they are finished.

Amazing Quilter!

2009-06-28T09:17:00.005-06:00

Geta does the most amazing trapunto work! And she has come out with an e-book with her techniques and some patterns. Yes, I am ordering one immediately! You must go over and see her beautiful trapunto. And she is a lovely lady, to boot. :o)
http://www.romanianquiltstudio.com/english/patterns.htm

And check out her blog...so many AMAZING things this woman does! Congrats on the new book, Geta! :o)

So Hooked...

2009-06-14T20:25:00.007-06:00

Last week I used my new-to-me spinning wheel and spun my first useable yarn on it. Okay, it is *sorta* useable...the colours are pretty and I will be happy if it doesn't fall apart on me when I try to knit something out of it. ;)

The ball in the center is my first attempt..it is a "single". The skinny skein is my first "plying" and I find it endearing. How can yarn be endearing...I guess because I made it! It hasn't been washed, yet. I'm scared to. There are so many thicker bits in it that I am afraid it will pull apart. But this effort was enough to hook me good.

I also won a Phatfiber box this morning! Lots of fluffies will be coming my way, probably this week. And then I will play to my heart's content. Oh...after I get some quilting done...am SO behind. :o)

I also *need* more fiber to spin so will go now and do some online shopping. :o)

Tomorrow I will quilt. ;)

Spinning!

2009-06-03T11:55:00.019-06:00

No, not the exercise kind...I am allergic to exercise. ;)

I have this wonderful, talented, beautiful daughter and I taught her to knit last summer while she was pregnant with the most beautiful child in the world. (seriously...he is)

She decided she would love to learn how to spin and wanted a drop spindle for her birthday. I got her one from http://www.mainewoodsyarn.com/
They also have an Etsy shop.

Well! My child is up and running (or rather...spinning) with this stuff and she kept *sharing* all of the fibers she was getting and using and sending url's for this shop and that shop and I caved in. I also got a spindle kit from Mainewoods. I cannot say I am really good at it, yet, but I will get there.

So! I was in our local knitting shop and what does Lori have on her countertop? A For Sale sign for a used Ashford Joy travelling spinning wheel...at an amazing price. So, I hummed and hawed and my hubby *talked* me into it as it really was an amazing price and he knows me. I would not be stopping at a drop spindle. (how does he know this, do you think....)

Yes, I got it. It is in perfect shape. And...no...I am not good at using it. I figured it would be a piece of cake as I have treadle sewing machines. But it is NOT a treadle sewing machine. I keep overspinning my yarn and getting all messed up with directions and such. Granted, I only tried it out for an hour this morning...

But I will get there.
In my spare time. ;)

Oh! And my daughter picked up her own travelling spinning wheel... a Kromski Sonata (pretty..pretty!) and I am sure she is spinning up a storm with ALL the wonderful fibers she also got.
:o)

When I Got Interested in Bobbin Lacemaking...

2009-05-24T13:36:00.007-06:00

I was introduced to bobbin lacemaking for the first time when we were in Tonder, Denmark...that is where we got married. There was this lovely little shop and I was mesmerized by the display in the window and I *needed* to learn how to make lace. The pillows were so pretty and the bobbins were so pretty and the lace was so pretty...

So...I taught myself. :o) My husband surprised me that Christmas with my first rolle pillow and stand, some bobbins and some threads and some books. In German. Thank goodness for the internet! LOL!

And now I want to learn to spin. ;)

The Most Beautiful Boy in The World!

2009-05-24T09:56:00.001-06:00

Quinn...six months old, already!

Nana loves her little man!

Kitty Rag

2009-05-22T11:27:00.005-06:00

Just finished this adorable rag quilt order. It is all washed and dried and the fuzzies brushed off and all ready for Hannah to snuggle up in! :o)

Triangle Bag...

2009-05-21T08:38:00.018-06:00

I would love to come up with a zippy name for this little bag...have seen it called a Triangle Bag, a Humbug Bag, a Pento-something or other...

Anyhow, I love making these and they are SO handy! I put my current sock project in this one and it works beautifully for a *grab and go* situation. Am thinking of putting some sort of little pocket inside for the next one....

The fabric was left over from a Messenger Bag kit from SewBatik. These batiks are lovely to work with and I am addicted to them!

I did not quilt the fabric for this messenger bag but, instead, used Quilter's Dream Puff batting (no quilting) to see how it managed. I love this batting! I can see using it for faux trapunto from now on. The bag is not heavy, it holds up well and the only thing I will be doing is adding some magnetic closures and some sort of firm base in the bottom.

Back from MQS!

2009-05-19T08:14:00.027-06:00

Well, I was in quilty heaven, I have to tell you. The vendors, the quilts, the vendors....

I made my decision (finally) on the Sharon Schamber Series Prodigy System and added the hydraulic lift feature. Very nice company to deal with. They are also going to put most of the controls on the left hand side of the frame as the right side will be up against the wall. That way I could squeeze an 11 foot frame in the room.

The stitch quality was outstanding and the machine moved easily for me. And I am excited about delivery in about 6 weeks, from what I understand.

And did I mention the nice people?

I also did quite a bit of damage at the vendor booths. Now...these are people that I have dealt with online and it was wonderful to meet many of them in person, as well as many of the quilters I chat with on MQ Resource. The quilt show was inspiring and so were my classes.

Deloa Jones did a wonderful class called "Brilliant Borders and Sensational Sashings" and I laughed all the way through Sally Terry's class, "Freemotion Fills & Meanders with Wiggle Room".

Kansas was SO green! When we got home to Wyoming we saw that the trees were budding and the weeds were growing...

Anyhow! Here's some of the stuff that came home with me...

Batiks from Sew Batik...lovely stuff...lovely people! ------>

Templates! From Gadget Girls...Shelley was so helpful and just the sweetest lady! I enjoyed spending time at their booth.

Threads...threads...threads...I was in heaven! Superior Thread's booth is candy to a quilter. I had every intention of getting more So Fine to add to my stock but was mesmerized by the Lava so decided to get a few of them to try. The colors are outstanding! And the King Tut...superior thread. ;)

And for my organized-wanna-be soul...I finally purchased The Machine Quilters Business Manager.

Since I live in Wyoming, I thought I had better invest in a few western themed pantos...The Pattern Man. We now have cowboy hats, boots and horseshoes. ;)

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and it was very good to get away for a bit. Dh's classes started up again yesterday and he said it was the shortest summer vacation in history. ;)

While I Am At It....

2009-05-08T17:18:00.006-06:00

...might as well make some pillows out of the fleece scraps...

I had some 14"x14" pillow forms from goodness knows where and did three pillows in an afternoon...just scaled down the applique design.

Bucking Bronco!

2009-05-07T14:09:00.008-06:00

Yes, it is Commencement time, once again. Where did this year go....

In celebration, I made 2 pillow quilts out of the university colors and with the Bucking Bronco logo, in fleece. They are heavy. My muscles hurt. :o)

And...a picture of our *own* little bronco....

Sort of how I feel today, myself.... ;)

Heartland Block of the Month

2009-05-05T10:52:00.012-06:00

I love applique quilts...especially Baltimore type applique quilts. Picking out the fabrics takes a lot of time and you have to make sure there is enough of this and enough of that. So! I decided to take part in a Block of the Month from Homestead Hearth. It was not easy to decide on which program to sign up for as their BOM's are gorgeous and there are SO many of them!

Well, I decided to do the Heartland and received my first installment of fabric today, as well as the pattern. It is going to be very pretty and it is such a joy to be able to dig in without having to figure out fabrics. I will be doing my favourite method of hand applique using fine non-fusible interfacing as the base which I learned from Applique My Way by Patricia Mclaughlin. She is in England.

You trace parts of the applique pattern out on the interfacing, using a Sharpie marker, and then you baste the bits of fabrics along the lines, turn it over and needle turn applique the bits down. The beauty of this method is that you can do *parts* of the applique design and audition them on the background and THEN applique the parts to the background fabric. If you don't like how your, say, flower spray is looking then you discard it and make another one. Since you are not appliqueing immediately onto the background fabric (and you don't have to mark on the background...yay!), it is very portable and practical.

Last night, while watching Dancing With the Stars, I traced out Block #1 (Pansy Wreath) onto paper from the master pattern...in pencil first...then I redrew the lines in black Sharpie to make them show up well. Then I lay my interfacing on that and traced it, again using the Sharpie. The Sharpie on the interfacing makes it easy to turn the interfacing over and see the markings...no mirror image problems! Yay. :o) I don't know about you but I am always in trouble trying to remember if I am supposed to flip the designs or not....

Here is the pattern and the traced out interfacing. I don't use the interfacing method for things like leaves or stems...I will make freezer paper templates of them and trace around them onto the fabric and then needle turn them onto the background fabric. I use the interfacing method only for designs that have *bits* in them. After the fabric is needleturned onto the interfacing and all the applique parts are done I will then applique them to the background fabric...which is a pretty cream tone on tone in this project.

You can see the fabrics...they are all labelled with the piece numbers and the block name...so organized! I think I am going to enjoy this year-or-so long project.

Will try to post pictures as I go along and show the various steps. :o)

Antique Quilt

2009-04-23T12:07:00.003-06:00

This is a special quilt. Several years ago, back in Canada, I had gone to an auction and won a box of old linens and quilts. There were really old quilts in there...very ratty...and one had an older quilt inside used as the batting! And there was this top. Some if it was handpieced and parts of it were machine pieced and it was not very well put together but I used to use it as display in my shop.

Well, I finally got possession of it again and have quilted it, using bleached muslin on the back and qulting it with a really fun panto. The bobbin thread is variegated baby colours and I used cream coloured thread on top....cotton batting...

Then there was the challenge of what to use for binding. Since the quilt top is very old, the white muslin has turned beigey and it was really difficult to find fabric that suited it. But we found a daisy print which just looked adorable with it...added a lot of whimsy...and since the daisies had white in it and the quilt's white is not so white....well, I decided to put a strip of yellow in between. It is now washed and it has shrivelled up delightfully and I am tickled to bits with how it turned out!

To Add Insult to Injury...

2009-04-17T10:09:00.005-06:00

Hubby sent photos of our snow to his relatives in Germany. And they responded with this.

Smocking...Smocking...Smocking....

2009-04-17T09:33:00.007-06:00

Been really busy with smocking this month.

It is such a lovely needleart and I sure enjoy making little dresses and bonnets. And it is SO much fun to smock quilting cottons and use brightly coloured floss to update the look.

Speaking of Good Weather

2009-04-17T09:15:00.006-06:00

When we visited family back in March (in Canada), we had lovely weather. And I want to mention that we stayed in the most wonderful B & B there! It is called the Duckpond and it is a separate little cottage on the owner's property located in Leamington in southwest Ontario, Canada. You could stay there very comfortably for weeks and weeks as it is a fully furnished little house with a functioning kitchen and laundry facilities...full bathroom...the works. It is really clean and comfortable and the breakfasts are amazing! And it is within minutes to to Point Pelee...the lake! I miss the water. :o)

http://www.duckpondbedandbreakfastcottage.com/photogallery.htm

And, yes, there really are ducks in the little pond in the backyard! :o)

Sure wish I was there instead of here.... ;)

Snow?

2009-04-17T09:13:00.003-06:00

Yes, we are inundated with snow here in Wyoming. It is April. 'Nough said.

Where Has This Month Gone???

2009-03-30T13:20:00.003-06:00

Well...we travelled to Canada to see our grandson and you can imagine how difficult it was to leave him! He truly is the most wonderful child in the world. And he was saying "Nana" while I was there. Seriously! And not even 5 months old...a wunderkind. ;)

Of course, I travelled with quilts and Quinn absolutely loved all the Minkee backs on his quilts. He is already a textile lover (could he be a quilter in the making???) and rubs the fabric all over his little face. Adorable. And he just melts my heart. He has the smile of an angel and has his Mama and his Nana's dimples. Precious, precious boy.

Springtime in the Dining Room...

2009-03-02T08:58:00.004-07:00

Now...winter in Wyoming is really not my cup of tea for the most part. It is windy and cold and I really prefer to stay inside and quilt and make my messes. :o)

But I noticed that in one of my plant pots a bit of green started showing and I hadn't a clue what it was. So I put it in the dining room window and look what bloomed last week! I don't remember planting the thing so it is my *winter miracle*. :o)

And...of course...we have to take a look at this handsome little guy...

And I get to hold him soon!!! :o)

Where did the month go???

2009-03-02T08:52:00.004-07:00

Do you all realize it is March already???

Well, it WAS a productive February and here are pictures of two quilts I finished. One is Quinn's, backed in Minkee and it was a breeze to quilt...loved it. And the second is one for a friend and backed in denim..which also quilted up beautifully. She provided the top which was beautifully pieced and nice and square.

Speaking About MQResource....

2009-02-03T08:36:00.002-07:00

Check out Suzanne Earley's blog! She is doing a quilt give-a-way! Suzanne also has an online shop, Knots & Bolts, and sells fabric and yummy yarns. Since I used to have a quilt shop in Canada (many moons ago), I am cheering Suzanne on and wish her lots and lots of success. And...she is a really nice person. :o)

Dogs and Bones

2009-02-03T08:27:00.004-07:00

Okay...so we have these two dogs...Daisy and Robbie. Daisy is a miniature Schnauzer that we rescued from a disgusting kennel in Berlin, Germany and she came over with us when we moved to the States 6 years ago. She thinks she is a big dog. And she is SO neurotic. But we love her to bits.

Robbie is a Golden Retriever that someone here was giving away, 2 years ago, and since I had had a Golden back in Canada several years ago, well....I had to give him a home. He is also neurotic. And has horrid seizures. And thinks he is a lap dog.

Anyhow, this weekend we gave them some beef bones (they are raw-fed dogs) and usually we have to place one at one end of the room and one at the other end. Otherwise, Daisy will continue to harass Robbie to steal his bone. Because she is Alpha Dog. It is actually funny to see this little 12 lb. doggie rule this 65 lb. hunk of a dog.

However...yesterday I caught them at the patio door...with their bones...and almost touching! Shock. :o)

QOV

2009-02-03T08:07:00.006-07:00

I have been quilting for *forever* and enjoy it to no end. And I have been a member of MQ Resource for several months now and the inspiration I get from these ladies and gents is...well...inspiring! LOL! For instance, I love my Innova and I love doing pantos. The reason I love doing pantos is that I don't have to agonize over design decisions. And I seem to have really good hand/eye coordination. I LOVE doing pantos! I love the texture...I love the curves and swirls and the flow. But, my goodness, the quilting that is shown at MQ Resource is awe inspiring...and I really want to be much better!

So! I started quilting a QOV project from Alycia in Colorado. It is on the frame now. I had decided I was going to do a hearts and loops panto but when I saw the cute panel in the center of the quilt I debated whether or not to dive in and actually use a RULER and do a bit of custom. Well, over the weekend I decided to do so. Yes, it will not be perfect...(and it isn't! LOL!). BUT...I figured that since the recipient had risked his/her life in protecting this adopted country of mine, I SURELY can dive in and get out of my secure *quilty* box! So...I did. :o) And it was actually fun! :o)

And....I am doing the panto in the rest of the quilt....as I go. That means stopping and starting and marking and watching very carefully that I don't quilt into the center panel but I like that sort of thing.

New Baby Quilt Top

2009-01-24T22:35:00.006-07:00

Another quilt top for the baby. This one is bright! It is my current favorite pattern, *BQ2*, from Maple Island Quilts. The blue in the quilt is deeper than is shown in the picture. Haven't decided on borders, if any. But I will figure that out tomorrow and get it on the quilt system and probably do a panto on it...maybe using yellow thread...or lime green....

Isn't this a handsome lad??!!!

2009-01-18T11:58:00.003-07:00

And are you sick of baby pictures, yet? LOL! But just look at that handsome little face!

Then there is the pathetic pout...just breaks my heart! "Come to Nana, little man...."

He got his first set of shots this week and he was not a happy little guy. :o(

Pink Fleece

2009-01-12T11:05:00.013-07:00

Since I am rather a *perfectionist*, it always bothered me that my gold and brown fleece quilts looked a bit messy at the edges with multiple lines of stitching where I have to stabilize on the quilting frame. So, I started experimenting on this pink fleece. I stitched down the edges (which would later be cut off), then made some marks, using red water soluble markers, 1-1/2 inches from the stitching. That made a width of 47 inches for the quilt. I marked my panto with tape at the edges where I wanted to start and stop and always made sure that my red marks lined up with the tape and that the width of the quilt always measured 47 inches. I pulled and tugged and manipulated it till it did. And it worked out really well!

Done...Done...

2009-01-09T05:43:00.008-07:00

For once, I have actually finished something in good time! This is the finished Mytery Quilt 09 and it is hanging on my quilting room wall. Since this was my first time doing feathers (been too chicken till now), they are far from perfect and since I am a perfectionist, sorta, it is difficult for me not to *fix* all the mistakes in the quilt (like...one side of a feather being upside down...). But! I am NOT going to fix it...I am going to leave it as a testimony to myself that I can let things be AND to show myself how far I will have come in a year or so...or three....

I did enjoy the format of this mystery and look forward to many more Cindy Roth teachings.